[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 27, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4538-H4541]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRANSATLANTIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECURITY ACT
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3344) to prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination
among United States agencies to encourage countries in Central and
Eastern Europe to improve the security of their telecommunications
networks, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3344
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Transatlantic
Telecommunications Security Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS; STATEMENT OF POLICY.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) fifth and future generation's telecommunication
networks in allied and partner countries based on common,
secure, transparent, democratic standards have the potential
to increase cultural, political, and economic exchanges
leading to mutual job creation, closer citizen relations, and
stronger democratic institutions;
(2) Russia's unprovoked, unjustified, and illegal invasion
of Ukraine and the People's Republic of China's tacit support
for Russian Federation's actions demonstrate the importance
of secure telecommunication infrastructure in Central and
Eastern European nations;
(3) the United States has national security and economic
interests in assisting Central and Eastern European countries
to improve the security of their telecommunication networks
by reducing dependence on covered telecommunication equipment
or services that are often offered with predatory economic
inducements and replacing them with secure telecommunication
equipment or services;
(4) China's Belt and Road Initiative and the 17+1
Initiative seek to undermine Central and Eastern Europe's
infrastructure resilience and sovereignty through predatory
inducements from state-linked providers of telecommunication
equipment or services such as Huawei Technologies Company and
ZTE Corporation;
(5) China's 2017 National Intelligence Law obligates
Chinese businesses to fully cooperate with state intelligence
work, and thereby compromises the integrity of any network
that utilizes equipment from Chinese companies because
providers could be forced to hand over sensitive data or shut
down networks at the command of China;
(6) Russia's campaign to elect a Russian national, who is a
former Huawei Technologies Company executive, to serve as the
Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) is indicative of China and Russia's efforts to
use international organizations to promote their interests
and their malign influence;
(7) at global fora such as the ITU, the United States
Government should actively support candidates that espouse
democratic values, internet freedoms, and secure
telecommunication networks;
(8) the United States International Development Finance
Corporation's development priorities, as described in section
1412 of the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to
Development Act of 2018, properly includes a focus on less
developed countries;
(9) the United States should assemble a coalition of
democratic and like-minded allies and partners to counter the
rise of global malign actors such as China and Russia and
build resilience in Central and Eastern Europe against malign
influences; and
(10) in order to ensure robust military coordination and
interoperability with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) and transatlantic allies and partners, the United
States should ensure that allies and
[[Page H4539]]
partners' telecommunication networks are secure and free from
potential threats in accordance with the 2019 NATO London
Declaration.
(b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United
States--
(1) to strengthen the transatlantic alliance based on
shared values in the face of rising malign influence from the
People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation,
countries that seek to undermine democratic institutions and
values;
(2) to encourage public and private sector investment in
European telecommunication infrastructure projects to ensure
secure telecommunication and to catalyze economic advancement
through the highest standards of transparency, accessibility,
and competition;
(3) to provide economically feasible alternatives to
financing from providers of covered telecommunication
equipment or services;
(4) to engage in diplomacy with European allies and
partners to strengthen the United States and European private
sector efforts to develop common telecommunication technology
and industry standards, and in turn promote them globally;
(5) to support the Three Seas Initiative organized by 12
Central and Eastern European countries of the European Union
to increase infrastructure resiliency and reduce reliance on
malign actors, including in the telecommunication space;
(6) to enhance telecommunication security and freedom
around the globe by engaging in elections at the ITU and
promoting the candidacies of individuals that will promote
democratic values, the rule of law, technological freedoms,
and telecommunication security;
(7) to support the people of Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and
the Western Balkan countries in their desire for integration
into Euro-Atlantic institutions and economies through
enhanced cross-border telecommunication infrastructure
connectivity; and
(8) to ensure that frontline NATO allies have
telecommunication services that cannot be controlled by China
or Russia, especially considering Russia's illegal and
unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.
SEC. 3. INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION SECURITY
CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR.
(a) Appointment.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall
appoint, from among existing personnel of the Department of
State, an International Telecommunication Union Security
Campaign Director (in this section referred to as the
``Director'').
(b) Duties.--The Director shall--
(1) lead efforts to promote candidates for elections at the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) who will support
and defend democratic values, internet freedom, and
telecommunication security;
(2) coordinate with other officials of the Department of
State, the Department of Commerce, the Federal Communications
Commission, and other Federal departments and agencies to
ensure efforts described in paragraph (1) are carried out in
an organized, nimble, efficient, and effective manner;
(3) work with stakeholders in the private sector to
harmonize efforts and to galvanize focus on elections at the
ITU;
(4) use diplomatic tools of the Department of State to
bolster support for candidates for elections at the ITU who
will support and defend democratic values, internet freedom,
and telecommunication security;
(5) brief Congress regularly on the implementation of the
duties described in paragraphs (1) through (4) and, if
appropriate, on requests for additional legislative authority
necessary to enhance telecommunication security and freedom
around the globe as described in section 2(b)(6); and
(6) report to the Assistant Secretary of State for
International Organization Affairs regularly on development,
progress, or setbacks with respect to support to the people
of Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and the Western Balkan
countries as described in section 2(b)(7).
(c) Sunset.--This section shall terminate on October 31,
2022.
SEC. 4. PRIORITIZATION OF EFFORTS AND ASSISTANCE FOR
TELECOMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN
CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE.
(a) In General.--In carrying out the policy described in
section 2(b), the Secretary of State, in consultation with
the Secretary of Commerce, the Chief Executive Officer of the
United States International Development Finance Corporation,
the Director of the Trade and Development Agency, the head of
the Federal Communications Commission, and the heads of other
relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall, as
appropriate, prioritize and expedite the efforts of the
Department of State and those departments and agencies in
supporting the efforts of the European Commission and the
governments of Central and Eastern European countries to
improve the security of their telecommunication networks,
including through providing diplomatic and political support
to the European Commission and Central and Eastern European
countries, as necessary--
(1) to ensure European telecommunication networks are built
securely, consistent with democratic values and principles
such as privacy, including through early-stage project
support and late-stage project support for the construction
or improvement of telecommunication and related
infrastructure;
(2) to remove covered telecommunication equipment or
services and replace such equipment or services with secure
telecommunication equipment or services;
(3) to support the development of telecommunication
networks that are inclusive, transparent, economically
viable, financially, environmentally, and socially
sustainable, compliant with international standards, laws,
and regulations, and supplied by providers of secure
telecommunication equipment or services; and
(4) to facilitate international coordination on cross-
border telecommunication infrastructure construction and
security standards to ensure cross-border telecommunications
are secure.
(b) Project Selection.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State, the Chief
Executive Officer of the United States International
Development Finance Corporation, and the Director of the
Trade and Development Agency shall jointly identify
telecommunication infrastructure projects that would advance
the United States national security and be appropriate for
United States assistance under this section.
(2) Project eligibility.--A project is eligible for United
States assistance under this section if--
(A) the project--
(i) improves telecommunication networks through either hard
infrastructure, such as telecommunication lines, towers,
antennas, or other equipment, or soft infrastructure, such as
innovative software development or cloud services;
(ii) is inclusive, transparent, economically viable,
financially, environmentally, and socially sustainable,
compliant with international standards, laws, and
regulations, and supplied with secure telecommunication
equipment or services solely by providers of secure
telecommunication equipment or services; and
(iii) does not use covered telecommunication equipment or
services or removes covered telecommunication equipment or
services and replaces such equipment or services with secure
telecommunication equipment or services; and
(B) the project is located in a covered country.
(3) Preference.--In selecting among projects that are
eligible under paragraph (2), the heads of the Federal
departments and agencies specified in subsection (a) shall
give preference to projects that--
(A) are located in Ukraine;
(B) can attract funding from the private sector, an
international financial institution, the government of the
country in which the project will be carried out, or the
European Commission;
(C) have been designated as available for funding through
the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund;
(D) are to be carried out in the Three Seas Initiative
member nations;
(E) are to be carried out in NATO member states that meet
or are making progress toward meeting their commitments to
upholding the rule of law and preserving democratic
institutions in accordance with the preamble and Article 2 of
the North Atlantic Treaty;
(F) are to be carried out in NATO member states that meet
or are making demonstrable progress toward meeting their
defense spending commitments in accordance with the 2014 NATO
Wales Summit Declaration; or
(G) have the potential to advance United States economic
interests.
(c) Types of Assistance.--
(1) Diplomatic and political support.--The Secretary of
State shall provide diplomatic and political support to the
covered countries, as necessary, including by using the
diplomatic and political influence and expertise of the
Department of State to build the capacity of covered
countries to resolve any impediments to the development of
projects selected under subsection (b).
(2) International financial institutions support.--The
Secretary of State shall seek to encourage international
financial institutions, including the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank,
and the International Monetary Fund, the Foreign,
Commonwealth, and Development Office of the Government of the
United Kingdom, the Agency for International Cooperation of
the Government of Germany, and the Development Agency of the
Government of France to invest in telecommunication
infrastructure resilience in Central and Eastern Europe.
(3) Early-stage project support.--The Director of the Trade
and Development Agency shall provide early-stage project
support with respect to projects selected under subsection
(b), as necessary.
(4) Late-stage project support.--The heads of the Federal
departments and agencies specified in subsection (a) that
provide late-stage project support shall do so, with respect
to projects selected under subsection (b), as necessary.
(5) United states international development finance
corporation support.--The United States International
Development Finance Corporation is authorized to provide
support for projects under this section in covered countries
that are countries with upper-middle-income economies or
high-income economies (as those terms are defined by the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the
International Development Association (collectively referred
to as the ``World Bank'')), notwithstanding the restriction
contained in section
[[Page H4540]]
1412(c)(2) of the Better Utilization of Investments Leading
to Development Act of 2018 (22 U.S.C. 9612(c)(2)).
SEC. 5. REPORT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5
years, the President shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on the progress made in
providing assistance for projects under section 4 that
includes--
(1) a description of the telecommunications infrastructure
projects the United States has identified for such
assistance; and
(2) for each such project--
(A) a description of the role of the United States in the
project, including in early-stage project support and late-
stage project support;
(B) the amount and form of debt financing, equity
financing, and insurance provided by the United States
Government, the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund, and
international financial institutions, including the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European
Investment Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, the
Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office of the
Government of the United Kingdom, the Agency for
International Cooperation of the Government of Germany, and
the Development Agency of the Government of France for the
project;
(C) the contractual terms of the project that preclude the
use of covered telecommunication equipment or services and
steps taken to ensure providers of telecommunication
equipment or services meet such contractual terms; and
(D) an update on the progress made on the project as of the
date of the report.
(b) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this
section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Covered country.--The term ``covered country''
includes--
(A) any member state of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization that--
(i) shares a border with the Russian Federation; and
(ii) according to World Bank official data for 2020, has a
Gross Domestic Product per capita, adjusted for purchasing
power parity, of less than $45,000; and
(B) any European country that--
(i) has not participated or aided in Russia's invasion of
Ukraine; and
(ii) according to World Bank official data for 2020, has a
Gross Domestic Product per capita, adjusted for purchasing
power parity, of less than $34,000.
(2) Covered telecommunication equipment or services.--The
term ``covered telecommunication equipment or services''
means any of the following:
(A) Telecommunication equipment or services produced or
provided by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation
(or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities).
(B) Telecommunication equipment or services produced or
provided by an entity that the Secretary of State, in
consultation with the Director of National Intelligence,
reasonably believes to be an entity owned or controlled by,
or otherwise connected to, the People's Republic of China or
the Russian Federation.
(3) Early-stage project support.--The term ``early-stage
project support'' includes--
(A) feasibility studies;
(B) resource evaluations;
(C) project appraisal and costing;
(D) pilot projects;
(E) commercial support, such as trade missions, reverse
trade missions, technical workshops, international buyer
programs, and international partner searchers to link
suppliers to projects;
(F) technical assistance and other guidance to improve the
local regulatory environment and market frameworks to
encourage transparent competition and enhance
telecommunication security; and
(G) long-term telecommunication sector planning.
(4) Late-stage project support.--The term ``late-stage
project support'' includes debt financing, equity financing,
insurance, and transaction advisory services.
(5) Secure telecommunication equipment or services.--The
term ``secure telecommunication equipment or services'' means
telecommunication equipment or services that are not, and do
not contain, covered telecommunication equipment or services.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Meuser) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 3344, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3344, as amended, the
Transatlantic Telecommunications Security Act.
Let me start by thanking Representative Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, the
chairwoman of the Ukraine Caucus here in Congress. She has been an
incredible leader and a very important voice for Ukraine, not just
these past 2 months, but for decades as a Member of Congress. This bill
is part and parcel of her many efforts to aid the people of Ukraine and
Eastern Europe.
I emphasize a key point throughout my remarks today:
Telecommunication security is a central pillar of national security.
If a hostile power has the ability to shut down a country's access to
the internet, then both telecommunications and national security have,
in fact, been breached.
If a strategic competitor can disable telecoms gear or cut an
underseas cable to turn off a country's mobile network, then both
telecommunications and national security have, in fact, been breached.
And if foreign rivals can snoop on a country's calls and steal
classified information because they can access the network, then both
telecommunications and national security have, in fact, been breached.
The lesson is clear: The United States and its allies cannot rely on
telecoms gear produced and supplied by countries and companies close to
the People's Republic of China government or the Putin regime in
Moscow. This is especially true in Eastern Europe, as President Putin
has decided to act on violent imperial hubris rather than respect the
law of nations.
If the problem is PRC-affiliated technology and Russian aggression,
then the Transatlantic Telecommunications Security Act is a key part in
the solution to bolster our national security and that of our friends
and allies.
First and foremost, the bill allows the Development Finance
Corporation to fund telecom security projects to ensure that all
network gear in Eastern Europe is safe. As Ukraine faces the immediate
threat to its national security, projects in the region must and will
receive priority assistance.
Second, this bill authorizes the State Department to create a new
position of campaign coordinator at the Department to focus on upcoming
elections in the U.N. body called the International Telecommunications
Union. That election comprises of an American with significant
experience with the ITU and a Russian who previously worked for the
Chinese company, Huawei. What could go wrong with that?
This is an election the free world can ill afford to lose, and we
must do everything in our power to ensure corrupt actors are kept from
its power. This includes a whole-of-government response, such as the
State Department working with Commerce and the FCC, as well as the
Foreign Affairs Committee teaming up with our good friends on the
Energy and Commerce Committee to make sure the ITU promotes free and
secure telecom systems around the globe.
{time} 1400
The TTSA is a critical bill that would deliver tangible security
benefits for Ukraine and frontline NATO allies. We can, should, and
must get this bill to the President's desk quickly.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to make that reality one
step closer by voting for this legislation today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MEUSER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bipartisan bill, the
Transatlantic Telecommunications Security Act. This legislation
authorizes the U.S. Development Finance Corporation to provide
financing for secure 5G and future generations telecommunications
infrastructure development projects in select Central and Eastern
European countries with upper-middle-income economies or high-income
economies.
[[Page H4541]]
This authorization aims to push back against CCP efforts to dominate
the 5G and future generations telecommunications networks of our
strategic allies and partners in the region, many of whom are NATO
allies.
Ensuring the security of the telecommunications network of our NATO
allies and partners in Central and Eastern Europe is unquestionably in
the U.S. national security interest.
Moreover, this bill targets the majority of countries in the Three
Seas Initiative. Launched by 12 of our close friends in Central and
Eastern Europe, the Three Seas Initiative seeks to expand cross-border
energy, transportation, and digital infrastructure, as well as boost
economic development in the region. Though it is a regional initiative,
it has global implications that serve not only European but U.S.
security and economic interests.
We in Congress have expressed great concern that CCP is exporting
corruption, debt traps, and poor labor and environmental standards to
Europe and across the world through its 17+1 and Belt and Road
initiatives. The Three Seas Initiative seeks to address these concerns
by providing positive alternatives to PRC investments in the region,
including in its 5G and future telecom networks.
The last administration successfully convinced most of Central and
Eastern Europe to opt not to use high-risk Chinese suppliers in their
telecommunications networks. Supporting the Three Seas Initiative's
efforts to expand secure digital infrastructure in Central and Eastern
Europe will carry forward this major foreign policy success and ensures
the transatlantic community remains united in its clear-eyed assessment
of the threat the CCP poses to telecommunications security.
In addition, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine must serve as a
wake-up call to the dangers of allowing our adversaries to expand their
influence in critical sectors of our economies. In particular, Europe's
energy dependence on Russia has made it difficult to rally the
continent around tougher sanctions and is funding the Kremlin's war
machine to the tune of about $1 billion every day. This is not in
Europe's or the United States' national security interests.
We cannot wait for a potential conflict over Taiwan to assist our
closest allies and partners in Europe and beyond in cutting out the
CCP's malign influence now that it has been used to gain leverage over
our democratic allies. This bill would help ensure we learn from our
collective past mistakes.
Lastly, this bill is important because it directs the Secretary of
State to appoint a campaign director among existing personnel for the
upcoming election at the International Telecommunications Union, the
ITU, which sets global standards for technologies such as 5G.
Russia's campaign to elect a Russian national who is a former Huawei
executive to serve as the secretary general of the ITU is indicative of
Russia's and China's efforts to use international organizations to
promote their interests and malign influence.
The United States should ensure that we are coordinated in driving
support for the U.S. candidate, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, for the secretary
general of the ITU, but the State Department should also engage on the
important down-ballot races at the ITU.
There are four other posts of significance within the ITU's
leadership structure, including the director of the ITU Development
Sector, the ITU-D. The ITU-D plays a particularly vital role in
supporting multilateral cooperation for fair and open internet
governance through trustworthy deployment of digital technologies in
the developing world.
The U.S. must be doing everything we can to ensure Russian and
Chinese malign influence does not grow. This bill would help.
The Three Seas Initiative seeks to address threats posed by the CCP
by providing positive alternatives to PRC investments in the region,
including in its 5G and future telecoms networks.
We must support our allies in Central and Eastern Europe as they
seek, through the Three Seas Initiative, to reduce their dependence on
Moscow's and Beijing's economic overtures. Only together can we face
the threats posed by the authoritarian regimes in China and Russia.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my friend for his
leadership and bipartisanship on this critical piece of legislation. I
think it is timely. I think it is urgent. I urge my colleagues to
support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3344, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
____________________